Here's what you'll find...
- Poll: Has reducing or removing sugar from your diet improved your mental health?
- I have struggled on and off with depression throughout my life, but I didn't know why until I searched for answers to my suicida
- Why medication helped my depression, and drove my wife crazy...
- How I researched my depression and discovered a little known fact that would change my life forever.
- Important books linking sugar to depression and the reasons you'll want to avoid this white chemical
- Why I wanted to go further and improve my physical lethargy
- The diet that not only fixed my mental problems, but gave me so much energy I started running for the first time in ten years!
- How a dog that couldn't walk taught me the truth about healthy eating...
- Have trouble staying with the Paleo Diet? Here's a suggestion that might help...
- Diet books that drop sugar and bad carbohydrates, and are actually possible to follow with simple guidelines
- New to the Paleo Diet and Cooking? What do you cook?
- Cookbooks I like to help me stay on a healthy sugar-free diet
- Learn more from these good links about the Paleo diet
- There is a growing body of books on the effects of sugar, grains, and their impact on health
- Did "How I Beat Depression" answer your questions? Tell me what you think...
Poll: Has reducing or removing sugar from your diet improved your mental health?
How many of you have changed your diet to cut out sugar and experienced an improvement in your mental health?
I have struggled on and off with depression throughout my life, but I didn't know why until I searched for answers to my suicida
It finally came to a head. The pressures of marriage, children, job stress, and exhaustion left me completely drained. And the depression started growing and growing.
I would either beat it or become a suicide victim.
I say victim because I was to the point I couldn't control the thoughts and images. And my marriage was in jeapordy. I couldn't stand the thought of losing my family, they didn't want to lose me.
My wife finally convinced me to begin seeing a therapist...
Why medication helped my depression, and drove my wife crazy...
Side effects such as obsessive-compulsive behavior.
The images and thoughts of suicide subsided, but I was driving my wife and myself crazy from the side effects. I would walk behind her and do things like move the flower vase she put down out of the way to the perfect middle of the table. Moreover, the core of depression remained. I decided medication was no permanent solution. It served its purpose in the short term, but...
There had to be something better...
How I researched my depression and discovered a little known fact that would change my life forever.
I found some research linking sugar to depression, and with further investigation found two very good books about the history of sugar and the clinical evidence linking sugar (and refined flour) to depression. What follows is the way I understand the effects...
High glycemic load foods increase your blood sugar. Everybody knows about diabetes and the effect of blood sugar on people who can't produce enough insulin in response.
But these books described something I had never heard. Some people produce too much insulin in response to blood sugar. Insulin is a depressant that lingers in the blood system far longer than the sugar high that produced it.
So my depression might not be a mental disease, but a physiological response to the sugar high.
This made sense, especially because I would have continual sugar cravings after eating sugar. Maybe my body was trying to balance itself by getting more blood sugar to balance the high insulin levels. But then that triggers more insulin release and results in an endless loop that resulted in me on a collision course with endless bouts of depression.
Important books linking sugar to depression and the reasons you'll want to avoid this white chemical
Sugar Blues
Read the dirty secret of sugar's ties to slavery in early America, how sugar addiction helped European crusaders lose the Holy Land, and the shocking increase of disease associated with growth of sugar consumption in the past 200 years. This is the history of sugar that you need to know.
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 07/09/2009) 
The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery Program
Filled with the author's important research that first linked sugar to depression, and the story of how alcoholics led to her important break-through. Doing the recommendations of this book alone improved my mental state to the point I was taken off anti-depressants.
Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 07/09/2009)
Sugar Shock!: How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life-- and How YouCan Get Back on Track
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 07/09/2009)
Why I wanted to go further and improve my physical lethargy
The diet that not only fixed my mental problems, but gave me so much energy I started running for the first time in ten years!
But isn't the USDA the same people allowing all the sugar and refined flours to be fed to our children and who authorized trans-fatty acids in our food system?
Maybe there is something wrong with the food pyramid.
Off to the library... where I discovered books that led me to feeling better than I remember feeling for as long as I remember. The most compelling and convincing to me was the Paleo Diet. Other diets have similar principles, but the Paleo Diet was the book that best presented the information to me.
- Eat protein. Protein is neccessary for proper brain functions and physical well-being. This is a product of our evolution. Protein also helps maintain blood sugar levels, thereby avoiding the afternoon (or whenever) energy drops.
- Eat carbohydrates in the form of fruits and vegetables. No vitamin (or any other) supplements are needed because fruits and vegetables are nutrient dense... they pack a lot of nutrition in a little package
- Cut out grains, starches, and sugars. Not only was this triggering my insulin response, but weight-wise, fruits and vegetables contribute far more vitamins and fiber to our diet than grains.
What's wrong with grains?
Grains were not a major part of our diet until the agricultural revolution beginning about 13,000 years ago. That means we evolved during our most genetically turbulant time and for most of our evolutionary history eating as hunter-gatherers, which means meat, fruit, nuts and vegetables.
I have read some books that argue that we don't have to entirely cut grains and starches out saying that we must have evolved somewhat to accept these as possible food choices. Based on my personal experience, I have decided to cut them all out.
Grains were...
- One of the causes of my depression,
- Product of large agri-business,
- Source of pork-barrel spending (especially corn), and
- Cause of a lot of environmental pollution (nitrate fertilizers in drinking water).
You may draw your own conclusions based on your experiences and decide to reduce rather than eliminate.
I also find fruits and vegetables more tasty.
And no ice cream? How about fruit smoothies...mmmm! Just be careful to watch the amount of juice you drink. It contains high amounts of sugar, too.
How a dog that couldn't walk taught me the truth about healthy eating...
When I was walking down a street around NYU I saw a woman with a small dog. The dog looked like it was about to lay down and die. It was grossly overweight, had a very difficult time breathing, and walked so slow the woman was nearly dragging it by its leash.
I wondered what was wrong with it. Then she stopped, reached down, and fed it a pastry, which it gladly ate while wagging its tail.
That told me all I needed to know about pastries.
There is a reason we adopted wolves into our tribes long ago and domesticated them into our dogs. We shared many commonalities: family and group mentalities, loyalties, and common food sources. We aided each other in the hunt. Most dog owners I know are very worried about their pets' health and feed their dog a good diet to maintain their health...
Don't we owe a healthy diet based on evolutionary and archeological evidence to ourselves and our families?
Have trouble staying with the Paleo Diet? Here's a suggestion that might help...
It's hard to avoid temptations...
However, The Hidden Secret of Think and Grow Rich is simple, to the point, and works. Don't be fooled by the name. While the original Think and Grow Rich was about making money, the Secret goes well beyond to apply to anything in your life. But don't take my word for it. Go check it out for yourself.
Diet books that drop sugar and bad carbohydrates, and are actually possible to follow with simple guidelines
The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Food You Were Designed to Eat
Imagine a diet that is easy and simple to follow, backed by scientific research, and makes sense from the view of history. Dr. Cordain's Paleo-Diet book is the one diet book I most recommend if you want to beat sugar's effects on your mental capacity. It is based on scientific, historical, and anthropological evidence.
Amazon Price: $9.72 (as of 07/09/2009)
NeanderThin: Eat Like a Caveman to Achieve a Lean, Strong, Healthy Body
What did our ancient ancestors eat? Neanderthin unlocks the link between food, Eskimos, and pre-history. Ray Audette's book is packed with personal observation peppered with scientific research. Very readable and thought-provoking.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/09/2009)
Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health (Vintage)
What an eye-opener! The ugly history of bad nutritional research that got us where we are today. And the conclusion that we are better off listening to what our grandmothers had to tell us about nutrition rather than modern nutritionists and their diets based on faulty research. If you want to know why you shouldn't trust what the medical community has to say about nutrition AND the origins of their anti-low-carb bias you should read this book.
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 07/09/2009)
New to the Paleo Diet and Cooking? What do you cook?
What are you going to cook tonight?
Cookbooks I like to help me stay on a healthy sugar-free diet
Against the Grain: 150 Good Carb Mediterranean Recipes
If you want sugar-free and mostly completely grain-free recipes with a Mediterranean twist, check out this book. Good recipes from someone who struggled staying on low carb diets, and finally found a balanced plan of attack. Recipes do occasionally have dairy, so be careful if you are allergic to dairy or want to be completely dairy-free.
Amazon Price: $19.96 (as of 07/09/2009)
Grain-free Gourmet Delicious Recipes for Healthy Living
Good recipes, but they do often contain honey and dairy (in the forms of home-made yogurt and yogurt cheese). Miss bread? Try their almond flour bread (but be sure to match with a high Omega-3 food because almonds are deficient). I have used to great success the spaghetti squash recipe to replace pasta in some of my favorite Italian dishes. They also published another cookbook shown next.
Amazon Price: $17.79 (as of 07/09/2009)
Everyday Grain-Free Gourmet: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
It may be just my false perception, but this cookbook seemed more heavy on dairy than their first (shown above).
Amazon Price: $19.77 (as of 07/09/2009)
Learn more from these good links about the Paleo diet
- The Paleo Diet
- This is the website of Dr. Loren Cordain, author of the Paleo Diet. It gives an overview of the diet and his research findings. You may also sign up for his e-newsletter.
- Processed Sugar Can Cause Addiction and Depression
- A short overview of the linkage of sugar to depression.
- Interview with Dr. DesMaisons
- Talking about sugar/depression linkages.
- Sugar, health, and the U.S. diet
- More evidence.
- Lots of information
- Not all of this is scientifically based (which is why I prefer Dr. Cordain's information). Take some of this with a grain of salt.
- More information
- A diet of lean meat, fish, fruits and vegetables is considered to represent a Paleolithic Diet and such a diet is basically that to which humans are genetically adapted
- Information overview from Australia
- I have read somewhere recently about a 'Paleolithic
diet'. What exactly is the 'Paleolithic diet'?
This answer is brought to you by many of the Australian
nutrition professionals who regularly contribute to a nutrition email discussion group. The 'Paleolithic Era' was the period com - Testimonial
- This is the Ray Audette "Neanderthin" diet. Dr. Cordain's Paleo Diet is different in that Audette bases his diet more on Eskimos, which is typically much higher in protein/fat because of their environment, while Cordain emphasizes more fruits, nuts, berries, and vegetables. I tend to like Cordain's version better because it is more sustainable given world population levels and dovetails nicely with my interest in Permaculture.
- Wikipedia page about the Paleolithic period
- I have always had an interest in archeology and history. This diet led me to study other things about our Paleo ancestors. Through this I discovered the beauty of their art, interesting societal information, and felt more in tune with who I am and what I believe based on my ancestors. I would suggest the book Prehistoric art and civilization by Denis Vialou and the video On the rocks: Prehistoric art of France and Spain.
There is a growing body of books on the effects of sugar, grains, and their impact on health
Here are a few I have noticed in the bookstore. I am going to check them out and see what they are like. One of the things I like most about Paleo Diet and Neanderthin is looking at human evolution in the context of diet and health. I will see if these have anything to add. I also like that both the Paleo Diet and Neanderthin can be integrated with Permaculture and sustainability if done correctly.
Going Against the Grain: How Reducing and Avoiding Grains Can Revitalize Your Health
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 07/09/2009)
Dangerous Grains: Why Gluten Cereal Grains May Be Hazardous To Your Health
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 07/09/2009)
The No-Grain Diet
Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 07/09/2009)
The Evolution Diet: What and How We Were Designed to Eat
Amazon Price: $14.98 (as of 07/09/2009)
Did "How I Beat Depression" answer your questions? Tell me what you think...
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PhilipDRiggs wrote...
I wholeheartedly agree with Omega-3. I've read some recent research to the benefits of Omega-3 for depression and it appears to really work. But (personally) I absolutely needed to get my blood sugar stabilized while adding the great benefits of Omega-3 to really beat my depression... and that only came by dumping sugar and white flour. Exercise is a different matter altogether. Let me tell you why from my own experience.
If my therapist had told me to exercise when I was in the depths of depression and imagining suicide it would have been like putting the Wall of China in front of me... a barrier I never could have overcome. For many depressed people I think exercise is something they can pursue after beginning to feel better, not when in the middle of the illness. I heard too many people tell me I just needed to get out and get fresh air. Those people didn't understand the illness and how it doesn't leave you lethargic... it leaves you as debilitated as if locked in a jail cell.
Posted June 27, 2009
lynn wrote
thank you for taking time to encourage others through your experience. I've been off sugar for 3 wks. but i fell off the wagon and now I'm feeling terrible again. I know the consequences of this drug but yet I can't keep my motivation. But now I have no choice! you have given me the strength I need. bless you on your journey cuz you have blessed me.
Posted June 19, 2009
BookMama wrote...
Hi,
I also found that dietary changes can affect depression. While I'm a big fan of Omega 3 in the diet, I agree with you that, what works for some may not work for all. But I want people to be aware of possible alternative, non-medication treatments for depression, so I created a lens on two natural treatments for depression -- Omega 3 and exercise. I hope you'll stop by.
I'm so happy that you are doing so well and that your marriage survived. Sounds from VIctoria's comment above that you are already helping others through this lens. Nice job!
Posted May 28, 2009
davidstillwagon wrote...
that is an interesting concept about sugar and depression. I hadn't heard about it before. Of course it probably wouldn't work for everyone.
Good lens I'll give it a 5
Posted May 22, 2009
victoria wrote
I have been aware of sugar's effect on my mental state for a few years now, but I always seem to fall off the wagon. It starts with a special occasion and continues for the following weeks to come untill I have a mental meltdown with tears and lethargy. My husband graciously reminds me before I take that first bite then next thing I know he's telling the kids to give me a rest as he is closing the bedroom door behind him because I am completely overrun by sadness and anxiety. I truly beleive I could lead a happy productive life if I could just cut out the sugar. I am currently in a funk right now and in desparation have Googled "deprssion sugar" leading me here ..."How I beat depression". I too will one day be able to say that I beat depression...maybe it will be this time.
Posted May 16, 2009
